The Institute of Politics at Florida State University (IOP@FSU) is a world-class, nonpartisan, and nationally renowned institute that promotes engagement in politics by students and citizens. Housed within the College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, the IOP@FSU supports applied political research by a cadre of world-class scholars and mobilizes the talents of our alumni, students, faculty,…
Category: Politics
Graduate Student Spotlight: Katelyn Hess from the Department of Political Science
What department are you a graduate student in? I am a sixth-year Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Political Science. Why did you decide to go to graduate school? I wanted to go to graduate school to increase my professional options and career prospects. It has given me the necessary skills to prepare me both…
Honors Thesis Spotlight: Examining Attitudes Toward Economic Mobility Among Young Voters
The American dream—an ideological framework wherein anyone can achieve their goals through hard work and determination—is the backbone of American society and economics. As a heterogeneous nation composed of diverse backgrounds, people need a common denominator; the American Dream serves this purpose, but how sustainable is this idea in the face of reduced mobility? Economic…
Graduate Student Spotlight: Kenneth Mackie from the Department of Political Science
What is your name? Kenneth Mackie. What department are you a graduate student in? I am a sixth-year political science PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science at Florida State University. Why did you decide to become an academic? I decided to become an academic because I wanted to learn how to approach, understand,…
Meet a Social Scientist: Dr. William Berry from the Department of Political Science
Meet a Social Scientist: Dr. William Berry from the Department of Political Science
Honors Thesis Spotlight: Corporatist, Catholic, Catalyst, Crank: Patrick Belton’s Role in Ireland’s Involvement in the Spanish Civil War
In the summer of 1936, a civil war erupted in Spain and changed the course of the nation’s history, laying bare the worst-case scenario of partisanship, factionalism, and religious zeal. As much as the conflict affected Spain, however, it also led to a reckoning in surrounding states as they grappled with how to handle the conflict. The…
Research Spotlight: Constitutional Innovation and Imitation in the American States
Today virtually all sovereign countries have written constitutions, but such documents are only a recent innovation. A century ago, roughly 60 written constitutions existed and 250 years ago there were none. While the US Constitution serves as a prominent early example of these documents, it was far from the first written constitution. By the time…
Humanities Graduates in High Demand in Business World
The post first appeared in the Tallahassee Democrat. A bill intending to discourage students from enrolling in majors that “do not directly lead to employment” is winding its way through the Florida Legislature. Unfortunately, this bill seriously misunderstands the nature of current labor markets. A person’s major does not necessarily lead to employment in any…
How Partisan Representation Shapes Citizens’ Views of Accountability and Efficiency during COVID-19
The first cases of what would become a global pandemic emerged in November of 2019, and would within months spread rapidly on an international scale. The nature of the virus put unprecedented pressure on governments both abroad and in the United. In response, local, state, and national governments instituted protective measures in an effort to…
Research Spotlight: Air Superiority and Battlefield Victory
Is there a democratic war-fighting advantage? A significant body of research finds that democracies are more likely to win wars than non-democracies. A recent study challenges this argument. In their new publication, Dr. Souva and Ph.D. candidate, Richard Saunders, argue that the outcome of major battles and interstate wars is primarily a function of which…
